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Wise up to the benefits of a smart home

(BPT) - Smart homes make life easier
and more convenient. Who wouldn't love being able to control
lighting, entertainment and temperature from their couch - or from
anywhere for that matter? Whether you're at work or on vacation,
smart devices alert you to what's going on at home and help you stay
connected and protected.

"Since inventing the world's first
residential smoke alarm, First Alert has been at the forefront of
advancement in home safety technology," says Tom Russo,
president of First Alert. "Our Onelink portfolio of smart
products goes beyond traditional perceptions of safety products and
ushers in a new era of interconnectivity between a home's comfort
level and people's safety and lifestyle preferences."

According to the experts at First
Alert, the following are just a few of the many benefits of giving
your home a "smart" makeover:

Safety and security

Having the ability to monitor your home
from wherever you are is one of the biggest benefits of a smart home.
Devices that deliver notifications about everything from intruders to
water leaks help homeowners react quickly and avoid major disasters.

For families with children, smart
devices can provide parents with added peace of mind. You can
safeguard doors and drawers, such as the liquor cabinet or gate to
the pool, with connected contact sensors. With smart locks and
cameras, you'll know when your kids get home from school, and can
ensure their safety when the doorbell rings with mobile access to
live video. There are even smart safes with motion detecting
technology and access notification that are ideal for keeping weapons
and medications safely locked away.

Convenience and customization

Convenience is one of the most common
reasons people purchase smart devices. These high-tech products
streamline common tasks by giving users remote access to everything
from heating and cooling systems to multimedia devices, kitchen
appliances, security features and even a forgotten garage door. You
have the ability to program devices to your family's specific needs
and preferences, and the flexibility to choose which features to
integrate into your smart system to create a connected home custom
designed to cater to your specific lifestyle.

Ease and expansion

Unlike their complicated predecessors,
many of today's smart home products can be easily installed, and you
certainly don't need to buy everything all at one time. One of the
best places to start building a smart home system is with essential
devices like a thermostat, or smoke and carbon monoxide alarms.

To make things as simple as possible,
the Onelink
by First Alert Wi-Fi Smoke + CO Alarm is designed to work with
most existing interconnected hardwired alarms, so users do not have
to replace all of their existing alarms at once. The Apple HomeKit
platform makes it easy to add new alarms and other devices to expand
a smart home system. The alarm can be easily tested or silenced using
the Onelink Home app on an iOS device (iPhone, iPad and iPod touch)
or Apple Watch. In the case of an emergency, the Onelink Alarm will
instantly alert the homeowner via a notification on their mobile
device, allowing the user to assess the situation and alert
authorities if needed, or silence the device in the event of a false
alarm, like burnt toast.

Energy efficiency and cost
savings

A major part of what makes "smart"
devices smart is their ability to save users money through improved
energy efficiency. Lights can be programmed to turn off automatically
when no one is in a room. A thermostat can be set to let the indoor
temperature drop during the day before returning it to a more
comfortable level just before residents arrive home in the evening.
You can even track energy usage and expenditures to determine ways in
which your family can reduce consumption.

In addition to all of these benefits,
automated home products are fun to use. Whether setting lighting and
music from your iPhone for a surprise romantic evening at home, or
keeping an eye on your house from a tablet while lounging on an
exotic beach, you'll find home automation easy and enjoyable.